Elder Of Ziyon - Israel News

Wednesday, October 02, 2019

10/02 Links Pt1: Rosh HaShanah greetings in the Muslim world are changing; Khamenei: We’ll further breach nuke deal until we get ‘desired results’; World Bank distorts report to absolve PA of fiscal responsibility

From Ian:

Seth Frantzman: Rosh HaShanah greetings in the Muslim world are changing

Saudi Arabia’s embassy in Washington put out “a happy and sweet new year” greeting this year, courtesy of her highness the Ambassador Reema Bandar al-Saud.

לראשונה: שגרירות ערב הסעודית בוושינגטון שיגרה מסר של שנה טובה ליהודי ארה"ב. בהודעה שנשלחה נכתב כי השגרירה הטרייה, שמונתה רק לאחרונה, שולחת איחולים "לשנה טובה ומתוקה"@AmichaiStein1 pic.twitter.com/3SYLhTYsWZ
— כאן חדשות (@kann_news) October 2, 2019

United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Abdullah bin-Zayed al-Nahyan also wrote a “Shana Tovah” greeting on Twitter.

Shana Tovah
— عبدالله بن زايد (@ABZayed) September 29, 2019

An aid to Iranian president Hassan Rouhani also wished Jews a happy a new year.

#Iran's President's Special Aide on Ethnic & Religious Minorities Ali Younesi has offered a #ShanahTovah to #Jews of #Iran. In the past, Younesi, a former intelligence minister, also visited a synagogue in #Shiraz. https://t.co/v93Y4uZy62
— Jason Brodsky (@JasonMBrodsky) September 30, 2019

The three examples are small signs of increasing willingness of countries in the Middle East to express tolerance and openness to Jews. This is interesting, considering the fact that Jews lived in most modern Middle Eastern countries since before their current foundations and have roots in the region going back thousands of years. However many of the modern countries in the region have had varying degrees of official state anti-semitism expressed either in textbooks or through obsession with destroying Israel, often thinly veiled behind hatred for Jews in general.

Because some of the governments in the region linked their hatred for Israel with a loathing, suspicion and persecution of their own Jewish minorities they chose to forego any expression of respect for the Jewish religion. Now things are changing, just a bit. With a new chapter being written in Israel-Gulf relations, the first steps can be seen in respect for Jews in general, including discussions with openly Jewish delegations, rabbis or groups, and discussions about having a synagogue or two here and there. Much of this is still a sensitive issue, and in general while there have been overtures to Jewish communities, and outreach in places like Bahrain, Dubai, Qatar, and the Kurdistan region of northern Iraq, there is still much work to do.

In first, Saudi envoy in Washington sends Rosh Hashanah greeting to US Jews

Saudi Arabia’s embassy in Washington sent out Rosh Hashanah greetings to US Jews wishing them a happy and sweet Jewish new year, NBC News reported Tuesday.

According to the report, it was the first time the embassy has sent such a message to Jewish people in America.

“On this occasion of Rosh Hoshanna [sic], Her Highness The Ambassador Reema Bandar Al Saud sends her wishes for a happy and sweet new year,” the embassy wrote on the greeting card.

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Along the bottom the card read, “Happy Shana Tova,” along with images of honey, apples, and pomegranates, all foods traditionally eaten at Rosh Hashanah feasts.

The report did not say in what format the card was sent out. Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year, fell on Monday and Tuesday.

Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the US, Princess Reema Bandar Al Saud (screenshot: YouTube)

Saudi Arabia’s embassy in Washington sent out Rosh Hashanah greetings to US Jews wishing them a happy and sweet Jewish new year, NBC News reported Tuesday.

According to the report, it was the first time the embassy has sent such a message to Jewish people in America.

“On this occasion of Rosh Hoshanna [sic], Her Highness The Ambassador Reema Bandar Al Saud sends her wishes for a happy and sweet new year,” the embassy wrote on the greeting card.

Get The Times of Israel's Daily Edition by email and never miss our top stories
Free Sign Up

Along the bottom the card read, “Happy Shana Tova,” along with images of honey, apples, and pomegranates, all foods traditionally eaten at Rosh Hashanah feasts.

The report did not say in what format the card was sent out. Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year, fell on Monday and Tuesday.

Last week the State of Israel congratulated Saudi Arabia on its national day, showering the Gulf kingdom with warm wishes for peace and security, despite the absence of formal diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry routinely tweets congratulations on countries’ national days, but only to those with which it has formal diplomatic ties.

46% of Muslim immigrants in France want to apply sharia in the country, according to a poll conducted by IFOP for Le Point magazine.

The survey also indicates that among French-born Muslims, 18% believe that sharia should be the law of the land.

The IFOP survey also reveals that are only 41% of French Muslims believe that the practice of Islam must be adapted to comply with French secularism." 37% say that it is French secularism that must adapt.

IFOP, Institut Français d'Opinion Publique, is a well-known opinion research and survey firm.

(h/t Irene)

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Saudi Muslims understand Judaism better than UK Labour Party

Remember earlier this ear when the UK Labour party tweeted out this Passover greeting that included a loaf of bread?

Who would have thought that Saudi Arabia could school the Labour Party in basic Judaism?

Here is the quite appropriate Saudi embassy in Washington's Rosh Hashanah greeting:

And what did Labour do for Rosh Hashana?

UK Labour Secretary Jeremy Corbyn marked Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, by meeting with a group of Jewish activists who included an activist who last year led a public mourning prayer for Hamas members, the London-based Jewish Chronicle reported on Sunday.

In a video posted by Corbyn on Twitter ahead of Rosh Hashanah, the controversial leader goes to buy apple and honey with some Jewish Labor Party members, including Rob Abrams.

Last year, Abrams led a Kaddish in the central Parliament Square in London after 62 Palestinian were killed in clashes at the Gaza border, according to the Jewish Chronicle. At least 50 of them were affiliated to the terror organization that controls the Strip.

"The apple is the fruit of the Earth.. and it brings us back to one of the most important elements of Judaism, the guardianship of the Earth," he explained to Corbyn in the video.

The video also featured Labour councilor Sue Lukes who in the past shared an article entitled "Jewish 'War against Corbyn' risks bringing real antisemitism to Britain" and expressed appreciation for Malia Bouattia, a former president of the National Union of Students, who called the University of Birmingham a "Zionist outpost."

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Hamas reps visit church as damage control over Christians fleeing Gaza

I reported last week on a Hebrew article that between 80%-90% of all Gaza Christians have fled Gaza because of harassment from both Hamas and local Salafis,

Hamas, ever sensitive to appearing anti-Christian, responded by sending a delegation to a church and effectively forcing the priest to lie about how wonderful things are:

A Hamas delegation in Gaza on Tuesday visited the Church of Saint Prefors and the Greek Orthodox pastor Bishop Alexos.

The delegation included Bassem Naim, Maher Al-Houli, Fawzi Barhoum, while they were received by Bishop Alexios, pastor of the Church in Gaza, and Issa Terzi, Chairman of the Council of Agents.

The delegation stated that the visit comes within the framework of promoting good relations and values of love, brotherhood and coexistence among all our people, Muslims and Christians.

Al-Houli stressed that Christians in Gaza live in safety just like Muslims and no difference between them, pointing out that this visit is to emphasize the lofty meanings of coexistence, love and security.

For his part, Archbishop Alexios thanked the delegation for his visit and said that Gaza is a role model for coexistence between Muslims and Christians on the basis of national partnership.

He added: "We do not feel at all any targeting us as Christians in particular, but we find all the love, appreciation and respect of Hamas, and the great interest of its leadership, as well as the follow-up and keenness of all government agencies in the difficulties or challenges."

Of course the archbishop didn't feel any pressure at all to toe the Hamas line with Hamas officials standing next to him speaking to a Hamas newspaper.

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10/01 Links: Frantzman: Iraq blames Israel for airstrikes, why now?; German antisemitism commissioner calls on Merkel to exit Iran nuke deal; Ziggy Marley honored by BDS fighters Creative Community for Peace

From Ian:

Seth J Frantzman: Iraq blames Israel for airstrikes, why now?

Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi on Monday said that “investigations into the targeting of some Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) positions indicate that Israel carried it out,” marking the first time he has spoken so clearly about a series of mysterious attacks since July that have targeted munitions facilities of the PMF.

Previously, voices in Iraq have sought to blame Israel but have been reticent to do so clearly. Elements within the PMU – a group of mostly Shi’ite militias, some of which are closely tied to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps – have instead held the US responsible, claiming the US allowed Israel to carry out the attacks.

So why would Abdul-Mahdi, who faces many challenges at home, decide to blame Israel now?

It appears that the Iraqi prime minister is blaming Israel at this juncture, because he is being targeted for criticism for removing a key member of the Counter Terrorism Service (CTS), Lt.-Gen. Abdul Wahab Al-Saadi, who was a popular deputy commander of the CTS – Iraq’s most elite unit – and who played a key role defeating ISIS.

However, he was suddenly sidelined last week and the prime minister is being criticized across the political spectrum. However Abdul-Mahdi’s office has said the decision is irreversible and insisted that Al-Saadi must adhere to it.

In addition, rumors have been spread against the commander, suggesting he visited foreign embassies. Abdul-Mahdi sought to blame the CTS for the decision on Monday, suggesting that the chief of staff wanted Al-Saadi out of the way.

The Iraqi prime minister has said that “no one wants war in the region except for Israel.” However, a large context looms. He was recently in Saudi Arabia and is now supposed to travel to Iran.

Iran’s IRGC head Hossein Salami spoke on Monday, threatening to destroy Israel. In addition Iran’s Tasnim is taking credit for getting the US to re-position air force assets away from Qatar, claiming its drones scare the Americans.

German antisemitism commissioner calls on Merkel to exit Iran nuke deal

One of Germany’s leading commissioners tasked with combating antisemitism has urged Chancellor Angela Merkel to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal to protect Israel’s security and instead impose sanctions on Tehran.

“The current escalation with Israel should be reason enough for Germany to advocate the.... Iran nuclear agreement, which has been undermined by Iran... [as] dead, and for the necessary sanctions against Tehran to become effective again in their entirety,” Uwe Becker, commissioner of the Hessian federal state government for Jewish life and the fight against antisemitism, told The Jerusalem Post on Monday.

Becker said Germany’s national interest in a secure Israel is “above possible economic interests” rooted in the Iran deal.

“If Germany takes its reason for state [raison d’État] seriously, it must immediately freeze its relations with Iran and thus send a clear and unequivocal signal to the Iranian leadership,” Becker said. “It is not a question of a policy against the Iranian people, who are even deprived of important freedom rights by their own government, but of a clear position towards the political leadership in Tehran.”

Becker, who is a member of Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union party, is the first antisemitism commissioner in Germany to urge the chancellor to pull the plug on the accord and re-impose economic sanctions against Iran.

Merkel delivered a speech to the Knesset in 2008 in which she declared Israel’s security interests to be part of Germany’s raison d’État.

At the time, the chancellor said that Israel’s security is “non-negotiable” for her government.

Palestinians Steal Electricity, Then Blame Israel

Apparently, the Palestinians believe that they have a "right" to free electricity -- even if that leads to the collapse of their own electric company.

This conviction is in keeping with the longstanding Palestinian perception that someone else -- preferably Israel and Western donors, but basically anyone else -- should pay their way in the world, particularly their electricity bills.

Palestinian officials are using the electricity issue to incite not only the international community against Israel, but also their own people. These officials are telling Palestinians that Israel is seeking to punish Palestinians for no good reason, and that their anger should be directed against Israel, not against the electricity thieves or the Palestinian leadership.

The controversy surrounding the unpaid electricity debts is yet another example of the Palestinians' unceasing search for ways to blame Israel for self-inflicted miseries. Instead of assuming responsibility for the electricity theft and unpaid bills and taking punitive measures against the offenders, the Palestinians are doing what they do best: trying their utmost to convince the world that it is all Israel's fault.

!Shana Tova u'Metuka שנה טובה ומתוקה!

Wishing my readers a sweet and healthy New Year!

I will not be blogging until Tuesday night or Wednesday.

Ktiva v'chatima tova!

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09/29 Links: President Rivlin wishes Jews around the world a happy new year; Melanie Phillips: Israeli Arabs deserve better from their leaders; The EU is waging war on Israel!

From Ian:

President Rivlin wishes Jews around the world a happy new year

President Reuven Rivlin wished Israeli citizens and Jews around the world a happy Jewish new year in a new video.

"Another year has past and a new year starts," Rivlin said. "In our prayers, we say, 'let the new year and its blessings begin.' After a difficult year for the safety of Jewish communities and relations between Israel and the Jewish world, let the new year be better and different."

Rivlin stated, "Over the last year, I have been honored to meet so many of your from across the Jewish world. Your commitment to the future of the Jewish people and to the State of Israel is inspiring.

"Despite the difference and the disagreements between us, we must take care to protect our relations and ensure they are strong and silent," he emphasized. "I believe our bonds are stronger than any difference."

Rivlin took pride in the country's accomplishments, noting that Israel "got to the moon, even if the landing was not entirely successful. We hosted the Eurovision, we printed an artificial heard and we have a Judo world champion.

"Many of those achievements are shared with you," he concluded. "I want to thank you for your partnership and for standing with the people and the State of Israel. Israel was and will remain your home, the home of all Jewish people. Happy new year!"

Trump wishes Jewish community a happy New Year

US President Donald Trump on Sunday issued a message to the Jewish community in honor of the holiday of Rosh Hashanah.

“As the High Holy Days commence, Melania and I wish those observing Rosh Hashanah a blessed and happy New Year.”

“This sacred day marks the start of a 10-day period of both celebration and reflection. Throughout the High Holy Days, those in the Jewish community engage in prayer and repentance, which culminate in the holiest day of the year in Judaism, Yom Kippur. Each day, with the blowing of the shofar, the Jewish people embark on a new spiritual journey to grow closer to Hashem and find a renewed sense of purpose in their faith,” said Trump.

“As men, women, and children around the world partake in traditional liturgy and enjoy customary meals with loved ones, we are all reminded of the virtues we can incorporate into our lives to better us as a Nation—kindness, compassion, and love. Together, with devotion to these ideals, we can form more sincere bonds with people of all faiths to help spread peace and prosperity in the United States and abroad.”

“Melania and I pray that those celebrating Rosh Hashanah build a more meaningful relationship with God throughout the High Holy Days. May the Almighty bless you all,” the President concluded.

President @realDonaldTrump and @FLOTUS wish all those celebrating Rosh Hashanah a happy New Year. pic.twitter.com/iVhkTF4U00
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) September 29, 2019

Palestinian in 1970s: "We don't mind being ruled by others, as long as they aren't Jews"

I came across a Time-Life book about Jerusalem published in 1976. It includes this vignette:

I peered into one of the shops. Its Arab keeper tried to sell me a dagger, then a cricifix, then a Jewish candlestick. "You sell Israeli things?" I asked.

He avoided my stare. ...."Our people take work from the Israelis because they have to. They've no choice."

"You can't grow to like them?"

He jerked back his head in denial. ..."None of us here minds whether we belong to Jordan, Egypt or Palestine - what does it matter? So long as we're ruled by Arabs." With a dark bitterness, he added, "Only take away Israel. That's all we ask. Set us free from Israel."

Similarly, many Gazans voluntarily left to go to Jordan in 1967 because they didn't want to be ruled by Jews, even though Egypt turned Gaza into a large ghetto for Palestinians. Those Gazans' children and grandchildren are still in Jordan, still stateless, still living in camps.

The book also includes a series of sketches made by David Roberts in the 1830s. These two scenes of Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives do not show any Arab villages between the Mount and Jerusalem - no "ancient" Silwan.

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Screenshot from video accusing Abdelmajid Taboun of being Jewish

In Algeria, university professor Issa Bin Aggoun has accused former Prime Minister Abdelmajid Taboun of really being Jewish whose real first name was Benjamin.

Taboun who announced his candidacy for the December 12 presidential election. It is a time honored tradition that Arabs accuse their political opponents of being secret Jews.

However, Taboun is a popular name, and other Tabouns have filed a lawsuit against Bin Aggoun for his sullying their good names by claiming that the Taboun family members are really crypto-Jews.

Human rights activist Hassan Bouras denounced the accusation as"slander," saying that while the government is corrupt and he is no fan of Taboun, calling him Jewish is not a principled way to defeat him politically.

A video with over 12,000 views in 12 hours shows Taboun's face juxtaposed with various images of Orthodox Jews to incite hate.

Not one Arabic-language commentator I could find has said that it is not a slander to call someone Jewish.

The antisemitism behind these accusations is blindingly obvious, but is rarely called out in the West.

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Bari Weiss' How To Fight Anti-Semitism has been the talk of the Jewish world for the past couple of weeks.

In six relatively short chapters, Weiss goes into details of her shock at the massacre at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, where she grew up. It then surveys the history of antisemitism (my preferred spelling), and then goes into a bit of detail on antsemitism on the Right, the Left and by Muslims. Finally she discusses "How to Fight" the phenomenon.

Weiss' audience does not seem to be Americans as a whole. The entire book, especially the last chapter, is really aimed at overwhelmingly liberal American Jews.

And here is the real surprise of the book: Despite how Weiss is described in the media, she is a liberal. She supports the right of immigration, she is a feminist, she supports equal rights for all, she is against Israel's rabbinate's exclusion of non-Orthodox in some aspects of life. All of Weiss' arguments in this book are from within a firm liberal mindset and tradition.

This is why, despite the title, the centerpiece of the book really isn't the last chapter. It is the chapter on the antisemitism of the Left. The longest chapter in the book, Weiss knows all of the arguments that the Right is the only real threat to Jews today, and she methodically demolishes them. While it is true that the antisemites from the Right are the ones with the guns, the ones on the Left are limiting how American Jews can even think if they want to be accepted in progressive circles.

In a stunning analogy that she quotes from Dana Horn, there are two categories of antisemitism: Purim antisemitism and Chanukah antisemitism.

Purim antisemitism is the Jew-hatred of the Nazis and the Islamists: the desire to eliminate all Jews. Chanukah antisemitism is the desire to eliminate Jewish civilization - and, worse, it asks Jews to be willing participants in that destruction, just as the Hellenized Jews of the Seleucid regime did. This is today's Leftist antisemitism, where solidarity with the Jews of Israel is enough to cut Jews off from the causes that they gravitate to most such as anti-racism or feminism.

Weiss also spends a bit of time analyzing historic socialist antisemitism - how it turned against the very socialist Jews who enthusiastically joined up and persecuted their fellow Jews in the Soviet Union, and how that immoral philosophy has survived to attack Jews today under the guise of supporting human rights.

She also shows how the concept of intersectionality, originally a noble idea, has been hijacked and twisted into a perverted show of who is the biggest victim - and how the biggest victims are automatically assumed to be righteous, no matter what they say or how they act.

This is where Weiss' liberalism shines. To her, people's words and actions are important, not their race or gender. In the bizarre progressive world, Ilhan Omar's antisemitic words simply do not matter because she is a black female Muslim. Islamic misogyny should be condemned every bit as much as any other type, and the fact that it comes from a group perceived as non-white doesn't excuse it.

The book has been praised by Zionists and vilified by anti-Zionists, because Weiss proves quite handily that the anti-Zionism that delegitimizes Israel is an fact antisemitism. (Although this review in The American Prospect actually tries to argue that Muslim and Arab antisemitism is not really a thing - Pew surveys notwithstanding.)

The last chapter, on how to fight antisemitism, is again aimed at liberal American Jews. It is not a chapter on how to defeat antisemitism, but how to respond to it. Weiss starts the chapter off with a lengthy quote from a terrific manifesto written by Ze'ev Maghen in the late 1980s. That essay covers most of Weiss' points in the chapter Here's an excerpt:

A man calls you a pig. Do you walk around with a sign explaining that, in fact, you are not a pig? Do you hand out leaflets expostulating in detail upon the manifold differences between you and a pig ("A pig has a snout, I have a nose; a pig wallows in mud, I only occasionally step in a puddle, and then, of course, inadvertently...")? Do you stand on a soap box and discourse eruditely on why, in general, it is extremely not nice to call people pigs, and appeal to the populace to please have no truck with an individual rude and nasty enough to say such things about an upstanding citizen like yourself?

Fellow Jews, where in hell is your dignity? Where is your abhorrence of useless, thoughtless, counterproductive endeavor? Of course we want people to befriend us, to treat us with proper regard, that's only natural. Of course we desire and advocate amicable relations between ourselves and other ethnic and religious groups (after all, who came up with "Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore"-a Martian?). But let's make a moment's inquiry, shall we, into the analogous microcosm of a healthy, strapping, youthful, well-adjusted organism-say, the reader- and examine how s/he interacts socially toward the same ends in his/her individual life.

You want people to like you, right? Well, and how do you go about achieving this? Do you launch a campus-wide "Don't Dislike Dan!" campaign, replete with billboard, petition, full-page ads, a couple of lobbying organizations and occasional sky-writing? If some miscreant simply won't be your pal, in fact actually takes an overt aversion to you despite all your exertions to woo his affection and heal the breaches, would you....picket in front of his dorm? Or do you run your life a bit differently, concentrating your time and effort on being the best "yourself" that you can, growing and learning and living and enjoying, treating others fairly and kindly, setting up criteria for right and wrong and trying like the dickens to adhere to them and if despite all this a few folks nevertheless persist in being incurable slimeballs and absolutely refuse to interact genially and courteously........@!%#?& them, as my grandmother says-you move on.

Clearly any sane human would opt for the latter course, seeing as the alternative is not only laughably ludicrous, but profusely demeaning and unforgivably ineffective. And yet as a group, as a people, we Jews have inexplicably chosen to live this very same absurd alternative. The current trend among the vast majority of American Jewish youth is lamentably not toward being the best "ourselves," the best Jews, we can be; for most Jewish young people in this country the condition is rather one of fundamental ignorance of the enormous treasure and incomparable high that is full, glorious, meaningful Jewish life. At the same time, the preponderance of highly-funded Jewish organizations in America today (and the ones gobbling up the largest chunks of young, activist Jewish talent), rather than confronting this lethal problem, are focused almost entirely on one thing: perimeter "defense." So terribly many of us have never experienced the warmth and splendor of a genuine Shabbat, have never learned a word of our language or set a foot down in our homeland, so terribly many of us are assimilating and intermarrying at a rate auguring nothing short of national oblivion-yet dare anybody disturb us during this gradual (not so gradual!) disappearing act by calling us names or painting swastikas on our walls, and we and our organizations will raise a hue-and-cry so loud, so fierce and so heavily financed that it will be sure to accomplish..nothing. Instead of brilliant rays of edifying, stimulating light pointed inward at our own people, we have dull, feckless, tinker-toy weapons (like those demonstrations) trained outward at "them."

Weiss' chapter does not have the effective anger of the Maghen piece, but her advice boils down to the same thing: call out injustice, don't hide, engage more with Judaism and be proud of your beliefs rather than hiding them. These is not exactly earth shattering ideas but, unfortunately, many liberal American Jews need to hear this. (No, having a seder to push the latest progressive agenda while ignoring anything about Judaism doesn't count.)

The book is quite up to date, with many examples from 2019 up through this past summer.

The reason that the anti-Zionists of the world hate Weiss isn't because she is "conservative" - it is because she uses liberal arguments to show that they are in the wrong. As such, this book is a must read for American Jews who are uncomfortable with their being forced to hide their Zionism.

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Ma'an says:

The extremist "Temple Communities" commissioned a Jewish artist to prepare an attractive design depicting the Temple building.

The design is to be used as a central greeting card for the so-called Hebrew New Year Day next Monday and Tuesday, September 30, October 1.

The Temple Group, which holds 45 percent of the seats in the current caretaker government, is planning major incursions into al-Aqsa during the holiday season.

These groups are also looking to change the status quo in Al-Aqsa, circulating ideas such as "closing Al-Aqsa completely to Muslims during the holidays."

45% of the current government is part of a group supporting building a Third Temple now? That's a hell of a statistic. It would be most interesting if it were remotely true.

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09/28 Links: ‘Jews exploit Poles,’ report leads to massive online hate in Poland; Tank shell from Egypt damages Israeli shul during services; Algemeiner Unveils 6th ‘J100’ List Featuring Sir Ben Kingsley and Rachel Riley

From Ian:

‘Jews exploit Poles,’ report leads to massive online hate in Poland

Polish portals such as Wiadomosci began to fill with hateful comments against Israel and Jews on Friday when news broke out that Polish President Andrzej Duda allegedly blamed antisemitism in Poland – on Israel.

The report, by the Jewish Insider, was quickly denied by the office of the President as well as people who were at the meeting such as Rabbi Shmuley Boteach and President of B’nai B’rith International Charles Kaufman. Yet, at least online, Polish anger began to shape in hundreds of comments, the Algemeiner reported.

“I used to feel sorry for the Jews, but having observed Israel’s actions over the last year, I now understand that they are guilty,” one person wrote.

“Poles don’t like Jews because Jews exploit Poles with privatization, they rob Poles because they are cunning and better-organized, and they own newspapers like the New York Times that slander Poles,” another added.

Duda did speak in the New York meeting with Jewish leaders about a February statement made by Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz, who said that Poles "suckle antisemitism with their mother's milk."

Katz was repeating a famous statement made by the late prime minister of Israel Yitzhak Shamir, who said so during a conversation in which he confessed that his father was murdered by Poles.

Duda said Katz's comments were a "humiliation," and seemed disappointed that Katz never apologized for them, Boteach wrote.
Duda went on to say that several advisors had suggested that he should not go to Israel until Katz apologizes.

One Polish online user, unaware that the Polish leader never accused Israel of responsibility for antisemtisim in Poland, said “Finally, we have a President who isn’t afraid of the truth.”

“Yes Jews — draw your own conclusions from this,” he added.

Thunberg’s tweets on Tel Aviv climate change rally draws likes, protests

Swedish protest leader and teenager Greta Thunberg on Friday posted images to Twitter from a protest in Tel Aviv amid dozens of other pictures on her feed from demonstrations across the world demanding swift action on climate change, which brought messages of support as well as comments on Israel’s treatment of the Palestinians.

Thunberg posted the first image, simply captioned “Tel Aviv!” in the same style that she used for publicizing all cities participating in the social action. The image had over 7.2 thousand likes and more than 400 comments, many of them urging a “free Palestine” or calling on Thunberg to do more “research” on Israel.

Some social media users suggested that the protests should be about the Palestinians rather than climate change. “Awesome! Now if only they would protest the brutal occupation and institutionalized racism of Israel,” wrote one user in a comment on a video from the Tel Aviv protest retweeted by Thunberg. The footage drew over 140,000 views and almost 8,000 likes.

Austrian Parliament MPs pledge to classify BDS as antisemitic

Leading Austrian lawmakers have vowed they will declare the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions campaign targeting Israel as antisemitic during the next legislative session.

“We hope that words will be followed by deeds and that ... there will soon be a parliamentary resolution,” wrote the organization of Jewish-Austrian students, which hosted the politicians at its event in Vienna earlier this month.

In response to a question at the event from college student Noah Scheer, who asked if the Austrian parliament will replicate the decision of the German Bundestag in May to classify BDS as antisemitic, the MPs pledged to do so.

Sibylle Hamann from the Green Party compared BDS to the Nazi-era “Don’t buy from Jews” campaign. She said the Nazi slogan “resonates” with the BDS campaign.

The other Austrian MPs present were Pamela Rendi-Wagner (Social Democrats), Wolfgang Sobotka (People’s Party), Helmut Brandstätter (NEOS), and Peter Pilz (JETZT).

In 2018, Vienna’s city council passed an anti-BDS resolution, which unanimously prescribed the organization as antisemitic and banned support for “events that advertise for BDS.”

Howewer, the national parliament has yet to pass a similar resolution.

The lawmakers did not specify a specific target date, although elections for a new parliament are on Sunday.

The United States House of Representatives overwhelmingly condemned BDS in July.